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L-KF^T ATT CTW^TN i. "Why, Mrs. Cofial** H» exclaimed. | tint TOO nay be. I Aall pray fbt J*What Is It? You look as If you had I that." > ... >, . <3osepkC Lincoln Aufihoir of Ctf'WHiitalcex'a Plao« CttjJn £ri, Etc. murti-tLiioM l>u ' Ellsworth. "Youî SYNOPSIS. i Kra. Kezlah Coffin, nppoMd widow, ia •Tranced to move from Trumet to Bos­ ton. following the death of her brother, for whom she had kept house. Kyan Pepper, widower, offers marriage, and is Indignantly refused. Capt. Elkan&h D&n- Jele, leader of the Regular church offers JCeziah & place as housekeeper for the niw minister, and she decides to remain la Trumet. Kezlah takes charge of Rev. John Kliery, the new minister, and gives bin advice as to his conduct toward members of the parish. Ellery causes a --nnation by attending a "Come-outer* meeting, tilery's presence is bitterly re­ jected by Eben Hammond, leader of the meeting. Grace apologizes for her guardian and Ellery escorts her home In the rain. Capt. Nat Hammond. Eben's »on, becomes a hero by bringing the packet Into port safely through fog and fltorm. Ellery finds Kezlah writing a let­ ter to some one. Inclosing money In re­ sponse to a demand. She is curiously startled when Informed of the arrival of Nat. Nat calls on Kesiah, and it devel ops that they have been lovers since youth. Daniels remonstrates with Ellery for attending "Come-outer" meeting. El­ lery Is caught by the tide and is rescued "by Nat. They become friends. Ellery meets Grace while walking in the fields, and learns that she walks there every Sunday. The clergyman takes dinner Sundays with the Daniels. Annabel, the captain's daughter, exerts herself to nqake an impression on him. She No­ tices with vexation his desire to get away •very Sunday at a certain time. She "watches him through a spy glass. Nat Again importunes Keziah to marry him. ST* says he has had a quarrel with his father, who wants him to marry Orace. EUery asks Orace to marry him. She confesses that she loves him, but savs •be fears to displease her guafrdian. El- kanah Daniels tells Eben about the meet­ ings between Ellery and Orace. Eben declares he will make Orace choose be­ tween him and the preacher. Ora.ce finds film in a faint, following the excitement of Elkanah's vtslt^ CHAPTER XI.--(Continued.) "Well, doctor?" Bhe asked anxiously, i The stout, gray-haired old physician --he had practiced In Trumet for near­ ly thirty years--shook his head. "Not a singlechance," he whispered. "He may possibly live till morning, but I doubt if he lasts an hour. It's lilt heart. I've expected it at any lime." Captain Nat was standing at the door of the bedroom. His face was drawn and he had seemingly grown years older since noon. i "He's come to himself, doc," he •whispered. "He don't remember how It happened or anything. And he wants us all. Why! why, Keziah! are you here? You can come in, too. I know dad likes you and I guess-- Wait a minute; I'll ask him " He stepped back into the bedroom. "Yes," he nodded, returning, "you come, too. He wants you." The little room, Captain Eben's own, •was more like a skipper's cabin than a chamber, on land. In the corner stood the captain1* big boots and his oilskins hung about them. His Sun­ day cane was there also. And on the bureau was a worn, heavy Bible. Dr. Parker brushed by the others and bent over the bed. i "Well, cap'n," he said cheerily, "bow's she headed? How are you feel­ ing now?" The old face on the pillow smiled feebly. "She'B headed for home, I guess, doc," said Captain Eben. "Bound for home, and the harbor light broad abeam, I cal'late." "Oh, no! you'll make a good many voyages yet." "Not in this hulk, I won't, doctor. I hope I'll have a new command pretty soon. I'm trustln' in my owners and I guess they'll do the fair thing by me. Halloo, Oracle, girl! Well, your old uncle's on his beam ends, ain't he?" Orace glanced fearfully at his face. When he spoke her name she shrank back, as if she feared what he might say^ Bat he only smiled as, with the tears streaming down her face, she bent over and kissed him. "There! there!" he protested. "You mustn't cry. What are you cryln' about me for? I'm fit and ready for the sea I'm goin' to sail." His eyes wandered from his son to Mrs. Coffln. For an Instant he seemed puzzled. Then he said: " 'Bvenln,' Kesiah. I don't know why you're here, but--" "I heard that Grace was alone and it hat you was sick, Eben. So I come right down, to help if I could." "Thank ye. You're a good-hearted woman, Kezlah, evjen though you ain't eeen the true light yet. And you're liousekeeper for that hired priest--a-- a--" He paused, and a troubled look came over his face. "What is it, dad?" asked Nat. "I--I-- Where's Gracle? She's here, ain't she?" "Yes, uncle, I'm here. Here I am," said the girl. His fingers groped for her hand and seized it. "Yes, yes, you're here," murmured Captain Eben. "I--I--for a minute or so, I--I had an awful dream about you, Oracle. I dreamed-- Never mind. Doc, answer me this now, true and honest, man to man: Can you keep me here for just a little spell longer? Can you? Try! Ten minutes, say. Can youT" "Of course I can. Cap'n Hammond, what are you--" "Belay, I tell you. Yes, I guess 'twas a dream. It had to be, but 'twas so sort of real that I-- How long have I been this way?" "Oh, a Utfle while! Now just--" "Hush! Don't pull your hand away, -Gracle. Nat, give me yours. That's It. Now I put them two hands to- gather. See, doctor? 8ee, Kezlah?" "Don't, uncle, don't!" pleaded Grace. "Don't worry about me. Think of yourself, please." "S-sh-sh! Deal listen. I want y< after I'm gone. 11 will--say it nowj Will you, Grade' Grace would hand. but he wouj dang to it and to all bis falling etreifl "Will you, Qructal *<tbe teat thing I'm d to off. Just Ify my boy, |[to say you kn hear It I raw a her t her... He |l BOX! with "It's oi' yon. I've tried to be sort of good to jro», in my way, and--" "Don't, don't!" she sobbed. "Let me think a minute, uncle, dear. Oh, do let me think!" "Won't you say It for me, Gracie?" pleaded Captain Eben. She hesitated no longer. "Yes, uncle," she answered through tears, "if Nat wants me he can have me." Kezlah clasped her hands. Captain Eben's faoe lit up with a great joy. "Thank the Almighty!" he ex­ claimed. "Lord, I do thank you. Nat, boy, you're conaid&r'ble older than she is and you'll have to plan for her. You be a good husband to her all her days, won't ye? Why, what are you waltln' for? Why don't you answer me?" Nat groaned aloud. "A minute dad," he stammered. "Just give me a minute, for Heaven sakes! Kezlah--" "Keziah!" repeated Eben. "Keziah? What are you talkin' to her for? She knows there couldn't be no better match in the world. You do know it, don't ye, Keziah?" "Yes," said Keziah slowly. "I guess --I guess you're right, Eben." "Kezlah Coffln," cried Nat Ham­ mond, "do you tell me to marry Grace?" "Yes, Nat, I--I think your father's right" "Then--then--what difference does -- All right, dad. Just as Grace sayB." "Thank God!" cried Captain Eben. "Doctor, you and Mrs. Coffin are wit­ nesses to this. There! now my decks are clear and I'd better get ready to land. Gracle, girl, the Good Book's over there on the bureau. Read me a chapter, won't you?" An hour later Keziah 6at alone in the dining room. She had stolen away when the reading began. Dr. Parker, walking very softly, came to her and laid his hand on her shoulder. "He's gone/ he said simply. CHAPTER XII. In Which Keziah Breaks the News. It was nearly five o'clock, gray dawn of what was to be a clear, beautiful summer morning, when Keziah softly lifted the latch and entered the par­ sonage. All night she had been busy at the Hammond tavern. Busy with the doctor and the undertaker, who had been called from his bed by young Higgins; busy with Grace, soothing her, comforting her as best she could, and petting her as a mother might pet a stricken child. The poor girl was on the verge of prostration, and from hysterical spasms of sobs and weeping passed to stretches of silent, dry-eyed agony which were harder to witness and much more to be feared. "It is all my fault," she repeated over and over again. "AH my fault! I killed him! I killed him, Aunt Ke­ zlah! What Bhall I do? Oh, why couldn't I have died Instead? It would have been so much better, better for everybody." Dr. Parker was very anxious. "She must rest," he told Mrs. Cof­ fln. "She must, or her brain will give way. I'm going to give her something to make her sleep and you must get her to take it." So Keziah tried and, at last, Grace did take the drug. In a little while she was sleeping, uneasily and with moans and sobbings, but sleeping, nev­ ertheless. "Now it's your turn, Kezlah," said the doctor. "You go home now and rest, yourself. We don't need you any more just now. Now you go home. You've had a hard night, like the reBt of us." How hard he had no idea. And Ke- zlahr as she wearily entered the par­ sonage, realized that the morning would be perhaps the hardest of all. "Keziah Coffin! Cried Nat Hammond, "Do You Tell Me to Marry Grace?" For upon her rested the resptfhsibility of seeing that the minister's secret was kept. And she, and no other, must break the news to him. The dining room was dark and gloomy. She lighted the lamp. Then she heard a door open and Ellery's voice, as he called down the stairs. "Who is It?" he demanded. "Mia. Coffln?" She was startled. / "Yes," she said softly, after a moment "Yes, Mr. El­ lery, it's me." "It's morning," said the minister. "Are you sick? Has anything hap­ pened ?" "Yea," she answered slowly, "some- thin' has happened. Are you dressed? Could you come down?" He replied that he would be down in a moment. When he came he found her standing by the table wait­ ing for him. The look of her face !b the lamplight shocked him. Beeu mruugu wuk ureauim eipen- 3 ence." Her heart went out to lilfeu' She held out both her hands. "You poor boy/' she cried, "I'm try* ing to tell you one of the hardest things a body can tell. Yes, some one is dead, but that ain't all. Eben Ham­ mond, poor soul, Is out of his troubles and gone." _ ' "Eben Hammond! Captain Eben? Dead! Why, why--" "Yes, Eben's gone. He was took down sudden afcd died about ten o'clock last night I was there and--" "Captain Eben dead! Why, he was as well as--as-- She said-- Oh, I must go! I must go at onoe!" He was on his way to the door, but she held it shut. "No," she said gravely, "you mustn't go. John--you won't mind me callin' you John. I'm qld enough, pretty nigh, to be your mother, and I've come to feel almost as If I was. John, you've got to stay here with me. You can't go to that house. You can't go to her." "Mrs. Coffln, what are you saying? Do you know-- Have you--" "Yes, I know all about it I know about the meetln's in the pines and all. Oh, why didn't you trust me and tell me? If you had, all would have been so much better!" He looked at her in utter amaee- ment The blood rushed to his face. "You know that?" he whispered. "Yes, I know." "Did she tell--" "No, nobody told. That la, only a little. I got a hint and I suspicioned Bomethin' afore. The rest I saw with my own eyes." He was now white, but his Jaw shot forward and his teeth closed. "If you do know," he said, "you must realize that my place is with her. Now, when she Is in trouble--" "It ain't the congregation, John," she said. "Nor Trumet, nor your min­ istry. That means more'n you think it does, now; but it ain't that You mustn't go to her because--well, be­ cause she don't want you to." "Doesn't want me? I.know better." He laughed in supreme scorn. "She doesn't want you, John. 8he wouldn't see you if you went She would send you away again, sure, sar- t!n sure. She would. And if you didn't go when she sent you, you wouldn't be the man I hope you are. John, you mustn't see Grace again. She ain't yours. She belongs to some one else. "John, Grace Van Home is goin' to marry Cap'n Nat Hammond. There! that's the llvin' truth." She lfd him over to the rocking- chair and gently forced him into it. He obeyed, although with no apparent Realization of what he was doing. Still with her hand on his shoulder she went on speaking. 8he told him of her visit to the Hammond tavern, say­ ing nothing of Mr. Pepper's call nor of her own experience In the grove3. She told of Captain Eben's seizure, «tj' what the doctor said, and of the old Come-Outer's return to consciousness? Then Bhe described the scene in the sick room and how Nat and Grace had plighted troth. He listened, at first stunned and stolid, then with grow­ ing impatience. "So you see," she said. "It's settled; they're engaged, and Dr. Parker will tell everybody of the engagement this very morrJn . It wan't any great sur­ prise to me. Those who have been brought up together; 'twas the natu­ ral thing that was almost bound to happen. Eben's heart was set on It for years. And she'll have a good husband, John, that I know. And she'll do her best to make him happy. He's a good man and--" "But I know--" "Do you suppose she would come to you if she knew it would be your ruin?" He hesitated. The last time they met, ages before--no, only the previ­ ous afternoon--ehe had told him it was his happiness and his future only that Bhe thought 6f. He choked and drew his hand across his eyes. "Mrs. Coffln," he said, "you tell me it will be her ruin. You tell me so. You say she doesn't want me. I tell you that the only thing that will keep me from her is hearing that from her own lips. When she tells me to leave her I will, and not before." "She'll tell you, John; she'll tell you. And I kuow Grace. She's made up her mind and won't change it. But I do ask you this: I ask you not to go now. Wait a little while, do. I left her asleep, worn out by what she's been through and under the effects of the doctor's sleepln' medicine. He said she must rest or he was afraid her brain would give out For her sake, then, wait a little. Then, if you don't hear from her, maybe I can arrange a meetln' place where you can see her without anyone's knowin' it. I'll try. But do wait a little while, for her aake, won't you?" At la6t he was listening and hesl- cating. "Won't you?" begged Kezlah. "Yes," he answered slowly. "Ill wait. I'll wait until noon, somehow, if I can. I'll try. But not a minute later. Not one. You doip^now what you're talking about. Mi's. Coffln." "Yes, I do. I know well. And I thank you for her sake." But he did not have to wait until noon. At six o'clock, through the dew- soaked grass of the yard, came the Higgins boy. For the first time in his short life he had been awake all night and he moved slowly. The housekeeper opened the door. Ike held up an envelope, clutched in a grimy hand. "It'B for you, Mrs. Kezlah," he said. "Gracie fee sent it. There aint no answer." Mrs. Coffln closed the door and tore open the envelope. Within was an­ other addressed, in Grace's handwrit­ ing, to Mr. Ellery. The housekeeper entered the study, handed it to him and turned away. "Dear John," wrote Grace. "1 pre­ sume Aunt Kezlah has told you of uncle's death and of my promise to Nat. It is true. I am going to marry him. I am 6ure this is right and for the best. Our friendship was a mis­ take and you must not see me again. Please don't try. "GRACE VAN HORNE." Beneath was another paragraph. "Don't worry about me. I shall be happy, 1 am sore And I shall hope i ne note teS to the floor with a rustle that sounded loud In the still-, ness. Then Kezlah heard the minis* ter's step. She turned. He was mov­ ing slowly across the room.. ... "John, what are you goin' to do?" He shook his head. "I don't know," he said. "Go away somewhere, first of all, I guess. Go somewhere and-- and try to live It down. I can't, of course, but I must try." She put out her hand. "I know ttH be hard," she said, "stayin' here, 1 mean. But your duty to others^-" "Don't you think we've heard enough about duty to others? How about my duty to myself?" "I guess that's the last thing w« ought to think about In the world, 11 we do try to be fair and square. Your church thinks a heap of you, John. They build on you* You've done more Jn the little while you've been here than Mr. Langley did In his last fifteen years." "You've never been asked to sit quietly by and see the one you love more than all the world marry some one else." "How do you know I ain't? How do you know I ain't doin' Just that now?" "Mrs. Coffln!" "John Ellery, you listen to me. You think I'm a homely old woman, prob­ ably, set in my ways as an eight-day clock. I guess 1 look like it and act like it. But I ain't so awful old--on the edge of forty, that's all. And when I was your age I wu'n't so awful homely, either. 1 had fellers aplenty hangin' round and I could have mar­ ried any one of a dozen. This ain't boastln'; land knows I'm, fur from that. I was brought up in this town and even when I was a girl at sriiool there was only one boy I carea two straws about. He and I went to pic­ nics together and to parties and every­ where. Folks used to laugh and B^y we was keepin' comp'ny, even then. "Well, when I was eighteen, after fa ther died, I went up to New Bedford to work In a store there. Wanted to earn my own way. And this young feller I'm tellin' you about went away to sea, but every time he come home from a voyage he come to see me and things went on that way till we was promised to each other. The engage­ ment wa'n't announced, but 'twas BO, "John, What Are You Going to Do?" just the same. We'd have been mar­ ried in another year. And then we quarreled. " 'Twas a fool quarrel, same as that kind gen'j-ally are. As much my fault as his and as much his as mine, I cal' late. Anyhow, we was both proud, or thought we was, and neither would give in. And he says to me, 'You'll bf sorry after I'm gone. You'll wish me back, then.' And says I, bein' a fool, 'I guess not. There's other fish in the sea.' He sailed and I did wish him back, but I wouldn't write fust and neither would he. And then come an other man." She paused, hesitated, and then con­ tinued. (TO BE CONTINUED.) mim IliULilUU ANN UAL'CONVENTION OF THE IL­ LINOIS STATE DAIRYMEN'S ASSOCIATION. OFFICERS ARE SELECTED Joseph Mason of Elgin Is Re-Elected President of the Body and F. O. Austin of Effingham Named Vice-President. Illinois Springfield.--rThe Dairymen's association concluded thirty-ninth annual Springfield with the State Its convention in election of offi­ cers Joseph P. Mason \>f Elgin was re­ elected president anjd F. 0. Austin of Effingham vice-president In place of Lewis N. Wiggins o^this city, who re­ fused longer to serve in that capacity. A secretary and treasurer will be chosen at the February meeting of the Illinois Farmers' Institute to be held at Sterling, by the following, who con­ stitute the new board of directors chosen: J. P. Mason, Elgin; F. H. Austin, Effingham; John Lynch, 01- ney; Joseph Newman, Elgin; W. Su- dendorf, Springfield; Charles Gllker- son, Marengo, and N. O. Crlssey, Gales- burg. In the butter scoring contest P. J. Peterson of Round Lake was high, his creamery butter scoring 94 V4 per cent out of a possible 100. Mrs. G. W. Dug- ger of Hettick was first in the dairy class, with a score of 92.8. Awards in the classes for cattle were as follows: Bull three years old or over, Fred Daughenbaugh of Spring­ field; bull two years old and under three, Fred Schuster of Springfield; bull under one year, Walter Garvey of Thayer. These were all firsts. For cow three years old and over, Walter Garvey of Thayer received first and second and Fred Daughenbaugh of Springfield third and fourth; cows two years old and under three, Walter Gar- vey of Thayer first; Fred Daughen­ baugh of Springfield second; heifers one year old and tender -two; Walter Garvey of Thayer first, second and third. Mr. Garvey also received first and second for heifer under one year aud Fred Daughenbaugh third. For exhibitor's herd and young herd, Mr. Garvey also received firsts. The work of the state pure food commission was indorsed, and the work of J. B. Newman, assistant state pure food commissioner of Elgin. A request was issued to Governor Dunne to retain him in his position. Mr. New­ man is a Democrat He received his appointment through Governor Charles S. Deneen. Choose Neighbors With Home. "The subject of neighbors Is one on which we are sensitive," writes Ag­ nes Athol in an article on "Some Things That We Learned by Renting a House in the Suburbs," in which she advocates renting a house before you buy one In Suburban Life Magazine "It Is true that the people directly in our rear are charming in the social sense, but unfortunately, they spend but six months' time at home. On one Bide of UB are some poor but honest' neighbors, whose children have taught mine innumerable little phrases with which they startle UB from time to time. 'My God! and i ain't got no--,' and 'Come on, kids!' do not ex­ actly appeal to me. Perhaps I am un­ democratic. But even the most al truiftic would have to draw the line at a family of seven diagonally across, who never miss a chance to knock the baby down or make off with unmatch­ ed toys. Our resolution to surround our own back yard (when we shall own one) with a hedge offers some remedy, but what shall we do about the neighbor on the other corner, who has a-rebellious cesspool?" Seek Aid of Road Commissioners. Hoping to lessen the shortage of railroad equipment, used for the move­ ment of coal, the Illinois railroad and warehouse commission Bent out circu­ lar letters to each of the town clerks in the state, urging them to ask the various road commissioners to co-op­ erate with the railroads In relieving this shortage of coal cars. The railroad and warehouse commis­ sion has had representatives through­ out the Btate for the purpose of ascer­ taining if anything could be done to increase the number of cars that might be at the disposal of the mining com­ panies. They reported that many of the road commissioners throughout the state did a great deal of purchasing of gravel and crushed atone during the winter months and which was not to be used until late in the spring. ^ pften times, the railroad and ware­ house commission declares, these cars of gravel and crushed stone are al­ lowed to stand on sidings for a week and even two weeks at a time, before they are unloaded. This has a ten­ dency to decrease the number of cars that might be used In the coal move­ ment. The letter addressed to the county clerks asks that the road commission­ ers arrange for shipments of such na­ ture during months when the traffic is not so heavy. The commission sug­ gests that the shipments and deliv­ eries be made between April 1 and October 1. Thoughtful John Chinaman. "The virtues of a Chinese laundry man never have been half told," said the woman.. "Not of my Iaundryman anyhow. He is such a motherly old soul. The other day he brought mj handkerchiefs hon^e folded in two dif­ ferent ways, somer squared, some cata cornered." f "Why the different styles in iron lng?" 1 asked. "John pointed to the stack of cata cornered handkerchiefs. 'These holey, he said. Then to the square pile. I^hese good. In big hully, not gette4 mix and go out with holey hankchef.' "Kind old John. His idea was all right, but doesn't keep me from get­ ting mixed, for T can never remember which shape means holey and which means whole, so I am likely to die grace myself with a holey handker chief after alL" To Pack a Trunk. Take a couple of horses the height of a chair; they take up little space In a storeroom. Use them to set • trunk on when packing It. It will aave your wife many a backache and save you or whoever removes it after it it packed, from lifting It up from ih» floor. Will Attend Inauguration of President Governor Dunne and staff will at­ tend the inauguration of President Woodrow Wilson In Washington on March 4. Ajt. Gen. Frank 8. Dickson received a letter from William L. Sul­ livan, Governor Dunne's secretary, in­ forming him Governor Dunne and staff would attend the inauguration and asking General Dickson to make nec­ essary arrangements for the trip and for entertainment of the party In Washington. It Is probable that the other new state officers and many prominent Democrats of Illinois will be in the party. The Illinois National Guard will not be represented at the inauguration of President Wilson be­ cause no appropriation has been made by the legislature for that purpose. Resigns Position as Board Member. John Tuttle has resigned his posi­ tion as a member of the executive board of the Illinois Mine Workers. Unjust criticism is said to have been the reason for his resignation. Presi­ dent John H. Walker granted a formal request from Tuttle asking to be re­ lieved from further duty. The position was filled by George McArtor of Herrin, who was named to fill the vacancy by President Walker. McArtor was a candidate tor a position on the executive board. New State Corporations. Secretary of State Doyle Issued cer­ tificates of incorporation to the fol­ lowing: Peoria Governor company, Peoria; capital, $9,000. Incorporators--Daniel Wlnzeler, John W. Winseler and George T. Page. Senn Machinery company, Chicago; capital, $2,500. Incorporators--Lizzie Anna Senn. Herbert Tope and Frank Huson. Imperial Brass Manufacturing com­ pany, Chicago; capital stock increased from $100,000 to $200,000. Railroads In llllnota. There are 48 railroads ia the state oi imncis with a combined mileage of '12,618 miles. The Illinois Central la Sret with Its north and south track­ age of 2,047 miles. The lines of the Burlington in Illinois total 1,681 miles. The Northwestern and the Chicago A Alton come next, the first with 751, and the second with 744. The Big Four and the Wabash are also nearly tied, having 692 and 688, respectively. The Chicago & Eastern Illinois comes sev­ enth with 570 miles. The elghth-'ln point of mileage is strictly an Illinois product, built and managed by Illinois men and with its offices and headquarters in Illinois. It is also by far the youngest road In the state, having been built within the past eleven years. These are the McKinley lines known as the Illi­ nois Traction system and the Chicago, Ottawa & Peoria, with a total of 562 miles. The next largest fn point of mile­ age Is the Chicago, Milwaukee A St. Paul, with 413 miles, the Baltimore A Ohio Southwestern with 383 miles, the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific with 366, and the Vandalia with S00 miles. The Santa Fe has 283 miles In Illinois and the Chicago, Peoria & St. Louis Is fourteenth with 235 miles. Illinois also, in the IlllnoiB Trac­ tion system, has the greatest inter- urban system in the country. Al­ though there is one line In Ohio with slightly greater mileage and a com­ bination of systems In Indiana that totals a few more miles, there is no other lnterurban that does all classes of railroad business and Is classed as a railroad as Is the Illinois Traction. In addition to this, the McKinley system is the only electric line oper­ ating sleeping cars and was the first electric railroad to completely equip Its lines with automatic electric block signals of the standard railroad type. It hauls all classes of freight and has Interchange connections with the Chicago & Eastern Illinois at Glover, the Wabash at Decatur, and the Chi­ cago, Rock Island A Pacific at Peo­ ria. Stallion Board Makes Report. .There are 9,677 licenced stallions In IlllnoiB, according to the annual re­ port of the stallion registration board, which has just been made public. Of the licenses Issued 5,688 are for pure bred horses, 8,984 for grades and five for cross-breeds. The percentage of pure-bred licenses is now 59 per cent., an Increase of 20 per cent, over last year, with a cor­ responding decrease in the number of grade licenses. Of the pure-bred licenses issued, nearly one-half--48 per cent.--are for Percherons, 21 per cent, for standard breds and the other 81 per cent scat­ tered, no other breed having as many as ten per cent, of the total number. By brand divisions, there are 2,263 licensed pure-bred stallions in north­ ern Illinois, 1,073 grades and two cross- breds. In central Illinois there are 2,683 pure-breds, 1,702 grades and three cross-breds, and in southern Il­ linois 816 pure-breds and 1,201 grades; the total number of pure-breds li­ censed in the state being 5,662, and grades 3,976. The board has also is­ sued 26 pure-bred and eight grade li­ censes for horses owned outside of IlllnoiB. Health Is Good at 8tate Prison. That the general health at the state penitentiary at Chester has rapidly improved during the last 20 years Is shown by a report which has just been issued by J. S. Johnson, state parole clerk. Tie old idea that prison life is In­ jurious to health has been badly shat tared by comparing the average num­ ber of deaths in the state penitentiary to the average number of deaths that have occurred in the state outside of the penal institutions. During the years 1911-12, with average of 1,155 prisoners In the state penitentiary, the average death was only five, while the average death for the year 1911 for the entire state was 118 per 1,000 inhabitants. The state board of health's records ehow that during 1911 there had been 64,565 deaths throughout the state. The state board of health, however, does not receive report of every death, it being estimated that about twenty- five per cent are not recorded. The report of J. 8. Johnston, parole clerk, to Warden James B. Smith re­ garding the deaths in the state peni­ tentiary at Chester follow: "During the ten years from 1893 to 1902 inclusive the average (lumber ot prisoners was 826. Average cumber of deaths per year was 10 S-6. "During the ten years from 189$ to 1912 inclusive (sdminlstrati&n of War­ den James Smith), the average num­ ber of prisoners has been 1,028 and the average number of deaths has been 8 1-5. "The years of 1909-10-11-12 the aver­ age number of prisoners was 1,091 and the average number of deaths 7 1-5. "The past three years of 1910-11-12, with an average number of 1,124 pris­ oners. the death average was 6. "The past two years, 1911'12, with an average of 1,155 prisouers, the death average has been only 6. "In the year 1912, with 1,184 pris­ oners, we have had but four deaths." Illinois Corn Men Elect. Officers of the Illinois'Corn Growers' association elected at Champaign were: President, W. B. Mills of Mc- Nabb; first vice-president, Wltllam Webb of Lockport; second vice-presi­ dent, W. G. Griffith, McNabb; third vice-president Walter H. Rowe, De- ratur; fourth vice-president, L F. Alex­ ander, Charleston; fifth vice-president, James T. Wilson. Winchester; sixth vice-president, F. I. Mann, Oilman; secretary, Leigh Maxcey, Curran; treasurer, H. A. Winters, Winona. fcss' Thrilling Experience of Cocoanuii Hunters in Samoan islands. STABS LIKE BAYONETS Men Were Covsred With Sites From Head to Foot, Their Bare Ftst Tsr> rlbly Bitten and Swollen--Battled With Axe and Heav Vreneh. San Francisco, Cal.--A terrible story of a desperate battle with land crabs, which ft*eked two cocoanut gatherers, is reported from the Sam- can islands. Attracted by reports of plentiful fruit, the two men, one of them a brother of Father Rogler, ot Fanning island, set sail for Palmyra. On their arrival they proceeded to make themselves comfortable for the night "I was lying upon the ground," says Rogler, "watching Liga (his com­ panion) working about the little fire, when I felt something jump upon my arm, and the next instant there was a sharp bite into by neck at the right side a little below the ear. I yelled, of course, and shook the thing off, and jumping to my feet saw that It was a monster land crab, the largest thing of the kind I had up to that time seen In all my experience ia southern seas. If there had been only the one we would not have cared so much, but Instead of that there were dozens all about as, and before I had really recovered from my fright, I saw as many as four or five of the big fellows running up Llga's body, biting his hands and snapping their long nippers into his peck and face. Ha was twisting and turning about like a crazy man, fighting the things with his hands and striking at them with the Iron frying pan which he had been holding over the Are. "1 was satisfied at a glance that we were no match for the horde of crabs that were upon us, and I called to Llga to make a jump for the boat which wai not more than five paces away, under the little overhanging bank. At the same time, crushing' under my feet the big fellow that had attacked i*e first, I ran for the boat and made for the little deck cabin ia which our guns were lashed. "I nearly fainted when I saw that the boat waB already overran with the miserable creatures. They were so thick in the cabin that it was simply sut of the question for me to unsllng our guns and dig up the necessary ammunition. Besides, I did not see fust then what good the liflesi would State Dairymen for Real Butter. Delegates to the thirty-ninth annual meeting of the Illinois Dairymen's as­ sociation gathered in Springfield, voiced their opposition to the practice of oleo and butterine manufacturers of mixing their products with real butter in order that it may be given the flavor and color. They believe that color should be one ot the character­ istics of butter in order that it may have a distinguishing mark by which It may be readily told ky the sumer. Howled With Pain. be to us, for the things were so nu­ merous, crawling everywhere abont and upon us that we could not pos- slbly shoot them alL "So I grabbed up the axe lyliig.,011 the deck and ran to Llga's aid on'the shore; but in the meantime he had de­ cided that the only thing to do was to gpt out Into the water, and by the little light of our fire I could see him standing waist high In the water lighting off two or three of the crabs that had fastened themselves upon Ms arms and back. He howled with pain, as he told me afterward, but I did not hear him. for I was doing the same thing myself. "But I was sure his plan was a good one, and I, too, rushed into the water. One of the monsters clung to my back, right between my shoulder blades, and though I ducked myself under water he seemed to be only getting a better hold. Finally, freed of thee crab* from his own body, but bleeding as though he had been cut by a hundred bayonets, Llga came to my assistance and cut with his pocket knife the creature from my back. In doing so, however, he left one of the monster's nippers in the fie6h, and it is this wound which Is now causing me the greatest pain and the doctor the most trouble. "Before making our escape we were both red men, covered with bttea from head to foot" INSURANCE ON WRONG MAN Los Angeles Husband Turned Up After Wife Had Collected *2,000 From Company. Los Aageles, Cal.--C. W. Jordaa* who had been believed to have com­ mitted suicide last April by banging himself under a roller coaster at a seaside park, reappeared at his home. His wife had colected $2,000 insur» ance from a fraternal order after identifying the body of a man resem­ bling her husband, whom she hat} seen but once in three years. Sev­ eral other persons agreed with her tah the identification. Jordan said he had been ••silmleg about the country aad tad not ed of his "saiclde."